Physical
• walks backward toe-heel
• jumps forward 10 times without falling
• walks up and down stair independently, alternating feet without support
• turns somersault
• moves forward and backward with agility
• catches bounced ball most of the time
• hops and stands on one foot up to five seconds
• catches a ball reliably (in hands only)
• beginning to skip

Drawing & Cutting
• cuts on line continuously
• copies cross
• copies square
• prints some capital letters
• draws a person with two to four body parts
• draws circles and squares
• begins to copy some capital letters

Personal Care
• Zippers, buttons, and snaps

Speech
• uses past tense
• vocabulary of about 1500 words
• understands the concepts of "same" and "different"
• has mastered some basic rules of grammar
• speaks in sentences of five to six words
• speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand
• tells stories
• recalls parts of a story

Sensory and Thinking Skills
• approaches problems from a single point of view
• begins to have a clearer sense of time
• follows three-part commands
• interested in new experiences
• cooperates with other children
• plays "Mom" or "Dad"
• increasingly inventive in fantasy play
• more independent

Developmental Health Watch

Because each child develops in his own particular manner, it's impossible to tell exactly when or how he'll perfect a given skill. The developmental milestones will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect as your child gets older, but don't be alarmed if his development takes a slightly different course. Alert your pediatrician, however, if your child displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay for this age range.

• Cannot throw a ball overhand
• Cannot jump in place
• Cannot ride a tricycle
• Cannot grasp a crayon between thumb and fingers
• Has difficulty scribbling
• Cannot stack four blocks
• Still clings or cries whenever his parents leave him
• Shows no interest in interactive games
• Ignores other children
• Doesn't respond to people outside the family
• Doesn't engage in fantasy play
• Resists dressing, sleeping, using the toilet
• Lashes out without any self-control when angry or upset
• Cannot copy a circle
• Doesn't use sentences of more than three words
• Doesn't use "me" and "you" appropriately

Excerpted from Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5, Bantam 1999

Additional Information:  Article #1, Article #2